Heathrow expansion

Heathrow Expansion Consultation 2017

Wandsworth Council is opposing the plan, which councillors believe would have major impacts on the quality of life in the borough. Find out why and how you can have your say below.

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Unfair consultation

The Government sent a consultation leaflet to around 1.5 million homes around the airport including every address in Wandsworth. It lists potential economic benefits, but does not include information on increasing aircraft noise levels, pollution impacts, health impacts, taxpayer costs, traffic increases or the loss of noise respite periods.

Wandsworth, along with Hillingdon, Richmond, and Windsor and Maidenhead councils, is concerned that residents are being presented with a one-sided picture of the third runway plan and are working together to highlight the serious negative impacts which the Government has ignored.

The councils concerns with Heathrow expansion include:

Increase in noise: 50% increase in flights and new flight paths over quiet parts of the South East including Wandsworth.

Noise respite will be halved: Most communities under flight paths will be overflown for 75% of the day, compared to 50% today.

Only five long haul routes: There will be 260,000 more flights a year, but only 5 additional long haul routes.

Disrupting the M25: Expansion requires rerouting the A4 and local road network, putting the M25 in a tunnel and increasing rail capacity. This would cause years of disruption and comes at an estimated cost of up to £15 billion to the taxpayer.

Increased levels of pollution: Heathrow already contributes to illegal pollution levels which would increase with expansion.